Trailer vehicle



R. A. BRADLEY TRAILER VEHICLE April 21, 1936.

Filed April 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l mw E) INVENTOR I Paahflfimd/qy BYg, ATTORNEY R. A. BRADLEY TRAILER VEHICLE April 21, 1936.

Filed April 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 0 or 5 m4 k -m e ATTORN ZY MN MNI m Ill i Y Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATIENT FF|E mamas. vEmcLE Ralph A.smiley, Minneapolis, Minm,-alalgnor to I Butler ManufacturingComparmLKansal City,

I Mm, a corporation of Missouri Application April 19, 1935, Serial No.17,230

clam (01. sec-a)" My invention relates to trailer vehicles andmore'particularly to an improved trailer tank assembly. a I

In hauling large loads of gasoline, lubricating 5 oils, fuel oils, andother liquids, it has been found that these can be transported morerapidly'and safely by trailer tanks, due to the fact that the center ofgravity of the load ina trailer tankis lower than that in a truck tank.v 10 tanks having a larger capacity can be built and moved by-vehiclesof much smaller dimensions.-

driving wheels by supporting sheathing from the towing vehicle. Thisfollows because there is astatutory limit as to the width of vehicles ofthe instant nature. The dimensions allowed by law areusuallytaken-advantage of to obtain a vehicle having the greatestcapacity possible in order to increase the pay load; The rear wheels ofthe towing vehicle which are mounted on springs have a considerableamplitude of angular motion around a longitudinal axis. In order to usestationary sheathing, the clearance would have to be so large that thewidth allowed by law would be taken up by spacing the sheathinglaterally from the wheels which would necessitate making the vehicleproper narrower and thus reduce the pay load.

The use of sheathing not only stream lines the assembly and thus reducesits aerodynamic resistance, but also. prevents dust and dirt fromblowing into the fifth wheel construction causing abrasion and wear.Then, too, the appearance of the assemblage is enhanced by thesheathing. I

One object of my invention is tov provide a trailer 'tank vehicle havingsheathing protecting the fifth wheel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a trailer tank constructionin which sheathing isprovided in order to give the trailer tank assemblya stream line surface for the flow of air occasioned by motion. T

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription. 5. In the accomp ny drawings which form Furthermore,

part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunctiontherewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate likeparts in the various views; j i

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trailer tank I assembly embodying myinvention. j Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, of aportion of the assembly'shown in Figure 1, showing one embodiment of myinvention.

-;Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 3-4 t 10 T of Figure 2.in

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the position of theparts when one of the wheels of the towing vehicle occupies a rut ordepression in the road surface. I Figure 5 is a sectional view taken ona line 5-4 of Figure '2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, on an enlarged scale.I

In general, my invention contemplates the pro- 20 vision of a fifthwheel construction in which an 'upper turntable is rigidly mounted on atrailer tank or vehicle. The lower turntable of the fifth wheel isuniversally mountedon a towing vehicle. Sheathing or skirting issupported from the 25 lower, universally mounted portion of the fifthwheel construction. Hinged panels are provided in the region of the rearwheels of the towin vehicle and means are provided for moving the panelsin conformity with the movement of the 0 wheels of the towing vehicle toprovide clearance of the skirting panels in tilted positions of thewheels. p

More particularly referring now to the drawings, a towing vehicle I isprovided with a frame 2 which is supported on ground wheels 3 throughsprings 4. Transverse structural members I, securedto'the frame 2support a transverse shaft 6 through bearing members 1. Pivoted to shaft6- is a supporting bolster 8 which carries longitudinal shafts! and i0which are secured to member 8 by means ofpins II and I2, respectivelyThelower turntable ll of the fifth wheel construction ispivotallysupported from shafts r 9 and ill by means of brackets l4 and ii. Theupper turntable I. of the fifth wheel construc- 'tion is secured to theunder side of the tank II as can readily be seen by reference to Figure5.

The king pin it is secured to the upper turntable l8 and is adapted tofit in a socket member ll 50 of the lower turntable ll, as can bereadily seen by reference to Figures 2 and 5. When assembled, the kingpin is held in its socket by means of nut l0. Secured to the lowerturntable IS in any suitable manner is sheathing 20,-the forwardpartofwhichisrounded; Skirtingpanels 2| and 22 are pivotally hung fromsheathing 2| in the regionofgroundwheels 2,ascanreadilybeseenbyreferencetoFiguresl,8,and4. Securedto shafts land llbymeansofpinsfland2l are links2land2t. 'Ilerods2l and2lareplvoted tolinksflandflandarepivotallysecuredto the pivoted skirting panels 2i and 221m canreadilybeseenbyreferencetol'igures8andi. In operation. the weight of thetowed or trailer vehicleissupportedattherearendthereofby ground wheels20. 'Ihe'forward portion of thetrailervehicleissupportedthroughthefifthwheel construction, the weightbeing transmitted through upper turntable It, lower turntable i2,brackets It and it, shafts O and II, member I, shaft I, bearing membersI, trannerse members I, frame 2, springs I, to ground wheels 2, throughthe axle 2. of the towing vehicle to which thespringslaresecuredbyclampsll. I

The tension of towing and thethrust of bnking-are transmitted throughthe king pin II. The pivoting of the assembly around shaft 0accommodates for variations in the road in the direction of movement.The pivoting around shafts land It accommodates for the lateralirregularities in the road and the twisting which would be occasioned byground wheels I being in a different transverse plane than ground wheels2!. Movement of the frame 2 of the towing vehicle with respect to thetank vehicle or movement of the tank vehicle with respect to the framewould produce a tilting which would ordinarlly bring one of the skirtingpanels 2i or 22 in contact with one of theground wheels 3. In theconstruction of my invention referring now tol'lgure4,itwillbeseenthatrelativemovement of the trailer vehicle withrespect to the chassis of the towing vehicle will produce the conditionshown in the figure in which ground wheels 3 eneneside are in a rut u.The tilting motion'produced by the relative movement produces a relativerotation of shafts O and it. Since for'rotatlon therewith, the resultis, in the conditionshowninFlgure4,to movelinks 2i and2 thedistancefromtheaxisofshaft 9 tothe of attachment of the tie rods 21 and-2| on link 2so that the panels are maintained parallel to th pl 10 andlinks 25 and2.. 'It will be ciated that, since member I is secured to the chassis 2and supported against rotation about a longitudinal axis, and shafts 9and it are supported bymember 8 and secured against rotation relative tomember I, and links 25 and 20 are secured to shafts l and Iii and heldagainst relative rotation thereto, that the vertical plane runningthrough the axis of shafts I and II, and links 25 and 26 will alwaysoccupy the same relative position with respect to the horizontal planeof the frame 2. Since skirting panels 2| and 22 are constrained toassume positions parallel to the vertical plane passing through links 25and. 26, these panels will always occupy a substantiallyfixed relativeposition to the frame 2, irrespective a,oss,ses

of movement of the towing vehicle around a longitudinal axis. It willreadily be appreciated that it is this movement which would otherwisecause skirtingpanels 2i and 22 to contact ground wheels 3. It willbenoted that thewheel panels arefitted with ventilating louvres. Inhauling heavy loads at high speeds, the tires generate heat. The louvrespermit a flow of air over the tires and carry away the heat, keeping thetires cool.

It will be clear that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. Ihave provided a towing vehicle and trailer vehicle assembly providedwith a skirting which will reduce wind resistanceandprotecttheflfthwheelfromdustanddirt thus reducing the abrasion.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaim. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in detailswithin the scope of my claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of myinvention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is nottobelimited to the specific details shown and described.

Having claim is:

1.In a trailer vehicle assembly, a tractor vehicle having wheels, atrailer vehicle, ground wheels supporting the rear end of the trailervehicle, a fifth wheel having upper and lower tumtables, said lowerturntable being movably sup ported on said tractor vehicle for motionabout a longitudinal shaft and a transverse shaft. said upper turntablebeing rigidly secured to said trailer vehicle at the forward endthereof. skirting supported by said lower turntable, said skirting beingprovided with hinged panels in the region of the tractor vehicle wheels,an arm secured to said longitudinal shaft, tie rods extending from saidam to said panels, the construction being such that the panels arepivoted in response to movement of the tractor relative to the trailer.

2. In a trailer vehicle assembly, a tractor having a frame, groundwheels supporting said frame. a trailer, ground wheels supporting therear end of the trailer, a fifth wheel construction having upper andlower turntables, a transverse shaft mounted on a tractor frame, abolster pivoted to said transverse shaft for movement about a transverseaxis. a longitudinal shaft carried by said bolster, the upper turntableof said fifth wheel construction being supported by said longitudinalshaft for movement about a longitudinal axis, said upper turntable beingsupported by said lower'turntable and supporting the forward end of saidtrailer, skirting supported from said lower turntable, said skirtingbeing provided with hinged panels in the region of the tractor wheels,and means for pivoting said panels in response to movement of thetractor relative to the trailer.

3. In a trailer vehicle assembly .a tractor, a trailer, ground wheelssupporting the rear end of the trailer, a transverse shaft mounted onsaid tractor, a bolster pivotally mounted on said transverse shaft formovement about a transverse axis, a longitudinal shaft carried by saidbolster, a lower turntable of the fifth wheel construction pivotallymounted on said bolster shaft for movement about a longitudinal axis, anupperturntable, a vertical pin for rotatably securing said upthusdescribed my invention, what I vso trailer, pivotally moimted skirtingextending acrossthewheelsoithetractorslmpcrtedirom said lower tm'ntableand means achiated by the relative movement between trailer and tractoror pivoting said skirting.

4. In a trailer vehicle assembly, a tractor having a irame. groundwheels for supporting said means actuated by the relative movement oftractor and trailer about a substantially longitudinal axis (or swingingsaid skirting.

5. In a trailer vehicle assembly, a tractor having a frame. groundwheels for supporting said frame, a trailer. ground wheels forsupporting the rear end of said trailer, a iiith wheel constructionmounted on said tractor frame for movement respect to said trailer.

' RALPH A. BRADLEY.

